Why I am Proud of my Friends

You know how parents often recollect how they are "so proud of their kids?" Well, I realized this week that, in the same sense of a parent, I am proud of my friends. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't look at them like they are my "kids" and think I know more than them, I'm just so proud of all they do.

One such reason is that they accomplish what they go after. When my friends seek something that will benefit others or themselves (and in that order) they accomplish the goal, they reach it. They don't quit half-way, saying that it is too challenging and that the end result really won't have that much of an effect. Even if their results don't turn out the way they expected, they are still happy that they went after it.

They love others. I have never heard of a group of teenagers like my friends, and one shining reason is that they love. They treat everyone like they are gold and are concerned about others, not because they want in on the gossip and to have the latest update on someone but because they care, they truly care--they want others to be happy.

They truly try. From what I have seen, one of the greatest things a person can do with their life is try, truly try. Even if they don't do the best, if they have put forth their best effort, they are amazing. And all of my friends do that. They give themselves to trying. Even if they are scared to death, they will try because they know they will grow stronger and happier if they try and give it their all.

There are millions of other reasons why my friends have made me proud, but one last one stands out as the greatest one I can ever see. They are religious. They have taken on the duty to be responsible for themselves. In the area I live in, so many kids go through the motions of religion not giving the effort to learn for themselves what they belive, but the friends I have been blessed with, have. They understand that if they want the happiness offered in life that they need to learn for themselves what they believe, and they have taken that challenge.

These souls I have been given in my life are amazing. They have given me so much and make me want to be better every day of my life. They give me the desire to grow and smile. I don't know where I would be without them. I couldn't be more proud of all they do.